


funny little thing called love

by orphan_account



Category: Gravity Falls
Genre: Age Difference, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, F/M, Older Man/Younger Woman, POV Ford Pines, POV Second Person, Post-Weirdmageddon, excuse me but i love prom queen and science nerd trope, i apologize if i paint you as an asshole at first, reader is an upper class snob who falls in love with a nerd, sounds familiar ?, tbh this was supposed to be an ofc but I'm afraid no one reads those anymore baby !
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-09-14
Updated: 2019-09-19
Packaged: 2020-10-18 08:28:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 8
Words: 5,769
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20636150
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: You were whisked away from the city life and into a small Oregon town to seal a business trade with the Northwest’s after their near overnight bankruptcy. As you explore the strange and restless town of Gravity Falls you start to notice that things are not what they seem, especially after your run in with the town’s cryptid, Stanford Pines. Through one giant tree monster and impromptu dinners, you decided that the six fingered scientist was more than Preston’s stories of ‘creepy science freaks that dwell under basements.’Not to mention that he makes one hell of a silver fox.( or where you don't want to admit that love is a funny thing that makes you head over heels for a man with twelve phDs and his family of lovable weirdos )





	1. Chapter 1

You never liked the countryside.

Others might call it pretentious or spoilt, but you just don’t have an affinity towards sleeping under the stars and excessive mosquito bites. The outdoors was dirty, dangerous and a death trap all rolled into one for all you know. You loved the fast-paced city life too much to trade it for the slow and serene suburban. Yet, duty calls, and when Preston Northwest is on the other end of the line with a million-dollar offer, you can’t just hang up and tell him no, even if it means you have to spend one entire summer in a town you didn’t even know deep within the forests of Oregon.

After hours of navigating the highway, you finally find a clearing that leads you into the thick and dense foliage of the woods, the lack of lamp posts nearly making you turn back. You were content after all with your current lifestyle, you didn’t need the extra million dollars, but anyone is a fool to pass up an opportunity, whether they need it or not. You passed by a dingy sign that says ‘ Welcome to Gravity Falls!”

It didn’t seem welcoming at all.

Out of the corner of your eyes you could’ve sworn you saw something wave at you, but as your car drove past it you didn’t think twice before driving faster. The deeper you drove into the forest the more you feel as if you’re being watched and you scolded yourself for arriving at such a late hour. You stepped on the gas, anxious enough to make your fingers twitch above the steering wheel.

If it wasn’t for your headlights warning you that there was a person in front, you wouldn’t have time to hit the breaks and avoided a collision. Luckily, the only thing that collided was your head against the wheel, but you suddenly felt as if it was more worth it to hit whoever was dumb enough to run across the road at night without looking twice.

Fighting back the headache forming behind the base of your skull you blinked to see a blur of brown run past you, the end of their coat fluttering in the wind before disappearing into the forest’s clearing. You stepped out of the car, unlocking the doors to call out for the person, but he was swallowed by the darkness of the woods, leaving nothing behind but a book in the middle of the road.

A book?

Your thoughts came into a screeching halt and you walked over to pick up what seemed to be a journal, eying the glinting number three on its cover. He must’ve dropped it, being in such a hurry. You flipped through the pages quickly, before shutting it and bringing it with you back inside your car, not wanting to linger in here longer than necessary.

You sat momentarily in the seat of your car, eying the palm print on the cover. You place your hand over it and noticed that the cover’s hand had an extra finger.

This town just gets weirder and weirder every second.


	2. Chapter 2

If Ford was stressed about losing Journal number three, Dipper’s current situation should be called a crisis.

The young boy, or rather, ‘teenager’ was curled up in the living room carpet with both his hands pressed firmly across his skull. He seemed to be hyperventilating but Ford couldn’t tell over the rush of words that were frantically pouring out of his mouth. Ford squatted and placed a hand over his shoulder at a poor attempt to comfort the boy, but it only made it worse as he started rambling about ‘ some lunatic finding it and raising the undead’ and ‘ government officials finally confiscating it for good.’

The noise seemed to attract the other patrons in the house, which includes Stan and Mabel, who exchanged wary looks between one another as they decided on the best way to comfort him. Luckily, the handyman had the best solution and Soos picked the fourteen-year-old in his arms, hugging him close to his chest and above the ground.

“ It’ll be alright dude,” He chuckled, the fez above his head dangling loosely, “ Panicking won’t solve anything, if anything, it’ll remind you more of just how screwed up this situation is and the potential of another Weirdmageddon happening.”

“Soos !”

Everyone exclaimed and he apologized, looking down at Dipper sadly. Even Mabel seemed anxious as she forced a smile.

“Everything will be alright, right ?”

She asked and Stan shot Ford a subtle glare, punctuating that he was the one who caused this and he should be the one to fix it.

“ For the record”, Ford argued in defense, “ I was chasing after Steve. After Weirdmageddon he’s been making more appearances lately, eating cars and throwing deer. I’ll retrace my steps, surely it’s still where I left it. It’s barely been twenty-four hours, I’m sure it didn’t grow a pair of legs and run off somewhere.”

Stan scoffed, “ Considering how weird this town is, I wouldn’t be surprised if that happens.”

“ I’ll go with you grunkle Ford !” Dipper exclaimed, his chest puffed out as he tried to swallow his raging fear, yet it only made the boy, _teenager_, even sweatier. If Ford squinted, he was sure Dipper was shaking in his spot. He clipped his fingers against the bridge of his nose.

A lot has changed ever since he and his brother left Gravity Falls to sail around the world, after a year they decided they’ll come back just when summer rolls around. A year filled with near-death experiences and scientific expeditions were just as tiring as it sounds and they needed time to ground themselves on land, what more than reuniting with their niece and nephew for the summer?

The two twins have grown, three hundred and sixty-five days can change a person, yet these two hadn’t lost their identity. Dipper, who was now slightly taller with a broader chest was still the ever-inquisitive mind. The same goes for Mabel, who no longer sports a pair of braces, yet still has an obsession over glitter and glued macaroni pieces.

One thing that hasn’t changed as well, was Ford’s constant worry about their safety. As proud as he was for their sense of adventure, he admits that it gets them into more trouble then they should and judging from the way Stan is scrutinizing him, he should know better than to drag either of them to hunt an ancient colossal being lurking in the woods.

“ No, I need you to stay here in case anyone would come to return the journal personally and make sure that it won’t fall in the wrong hands anymore.”

It was a feeble excuse, lame and poorly scripted for a man with his IQ, but it did the trick and the two stopped pestering him to tag along. With Stan’s nudge, or rather, persistent shoving, the two children trotted up the stairs, their conversation faded into the background as they entered their rooms.

“ You better find that book,sixer,” Stan sighed.

“ I will,” Ford replied, but even he was surprised at how feeble his voice sounded.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There is a reference to the contents of journal number three here, however I made a few changes to fit the plot of my story. In the original novelization created by Satan himself, I meant Alex Hirsch, Ford continued to write in Journal three about his travels, however in this story he wrote them on a separate journal and hence the identity of journal three would still be unclear to any stranger who reads it. ( Yet it still contains Mabel's and Dipper's doodles.)

You didn’t know if it was possible to have a crush on someone through their journal, but you’re quite sure that you’ve developed one for the owner of the book you’re currently reading.

Curled up on a couch in the Northwest estate, you relish at the thought of finishing today’s work. It was barely half of the paperwork needed to be done, but it was something that made Preston happy enough to cut you some slack, after all, you weren’t working for him, you were working with him. The Northwests still uphold the reputation for being the snobbiest people known to exist ( and people call you all sorts of things.)

Whatever it is they used to call you back in your hometown, Preston and Priscilla now owned them. The pair haven't changed since university. The capitalists were still hoarding their stolen wealth, sitting on a high chair of tax frauds and false documents. Granted, you were one of the people who attended their prestigious universities under your renowned family name, but you never liked the idea of manipulating the people for your benefit. You were rich, that is true and your family name coveted respect, that’s a fact, but you refuse to go down the same path as your family and classmates.

They did dirty work and it's impossible not to get a few stains on your hands, but you made sure to stay away from that life. You ended up with a stable job back home, one that keeps your integrity intact despite your wealth. You do your fair share of being a good samaritan, handing out donations and hosting charity events. The only reason you’re even employed under Preston is that your family owes theirs a dept ( and you can’t say no to the desperate price their offering).

Nonetheless, every cloud has a silver lining and you’ve grown quite fond of their only daughter. Pacifica was different from her parents, you could see it under the artificial façade she puts on for the public. The fourteen-year-old was dying to break free from her golden cage, that was why you had let her out of the mansion with a butler today to visit some of her friends, promising to tell her parents a fabricated lie about how she’s off to belittle some poor child’s fashion sense.

Tracing your hands over the slightly worn-out pages, you smiled fondly at the author’s notes and scribbles. The information you found inside had scared you, and for the first few nights, you pondered on whether it was all a joke until a flying eyeball crashed itself against your window after you left the light stand on.

After a few screaming and hyperventilating, you eventually shoed the thing out with a broom and continued to engross yourself with the journal, making sure to swallow every single bit of information as your guide to survival. You wanted to ask the Northwest’s about it, but you argued against the idea once you’re reminded of the existence of mental asylums.

This is the second night you’ve skimmed through the contents of the journal and you found the author’s occasional jibes and jokes if anything, endearing. It was lighthearted, compared to the unsettling information contained inside. It was the thing that kept you interested, making you laugh now and then at his frustrations while you awed at the creatures he studied. There were also a few doodles made by two children named Dipper and Mabel ( probably another person who had found the book), but it could be anyone in this town and they didn’t seem to know who the Author is either. You admired this man and you only knew he was a man from the way he described himself.

Yet that wasn't enough to answer who he truly was.

You daydreamed at how he must’ve looked at, after trying to decipher his face through a scribbled sketch. You even placed the page against the light, squinting until your eyes hurt in hopes of catching a glimpse of him. You wondered what his voice would sound like, whether it was rough or gentle. It drove you insane to the point where you thought it was ridiculous.

You stopped at the page where he began to introduce himself, rereading the same sentence over and over again until you’ve realized that you’re no longer paying attention. You traced your finger over the ruined sketch, trying to imagine anyone’s face, yet it didn’t seem to satisfy you. You ached to know who the author is and when you couldn’t take it anymore you finally concluded that you would have to find out for yourself.

The next day you drove to the place where you had last seen the book, hoping to find him running past you again.


	4. Chapter 4

Ford was never really good with women, even after thirty years in another dimension and meeting all sorts of women, they were still his weak spot.

So when he saw one in the middle of him and a giant tree monster, he didn’t know how to react. His first instinct was to call out to the stranger, telling her to calm down and not panic. But she was already sitting on the soil, staring up at the creature with her mouth agape. She was paralyzed but that didn’t stop Steve from reacting. A low murmur echoed throughout the trees, blowing the leaves out of the branches as it swept across the land. The creature had taken a breath, raising its wooden arm.

Before bringing it down at the woman.

A cry was ripped out of Ford’s throat and he expected to see her remains crushed under the weight of its enormous palm, but instead, he saw her above the palm of its outstretched arm, its giant eyeball peeking through the foliage. Another gust of wind swept past him, but this time, the creature’s tone seemed to be delighted. If Ford was analyzing it correctly, it was laughing, repeatedly blowing puffs of air as it admired the woman in his hand.

The woman, on the other hand, didn’t seem to break out of her state of shock, only gazing up at the creature as if she was at its mercy, which in this case, wasn’t wrong.

“ Ma’am, I’d like you to stay where you are !” He shouted. It was a risky choice as he could shock the creature and cause it to squish her like a bug, but Steve seemed to be distracted enough. The woman whipped her head around, facing him with knitted brows.

“What’s, what’s going on ?” She stammered shakily, “ Who are you and what is that thing ?”

“ That,” Ford grunted as he hauled himself atop a rock in an attempt to give himself leverage to talk to her, “ Is Steve, a form of ancient tree creature. He’s older than any of us here in this town and must've inhabited these woods since before this place was even a town, considering his size he must be-“

“ Please stop talking,” She breathed out, not taking her eyes off him in fear of turning back at the creature, “ Please get me out of here.”

“ Right,” Ford nodded, going back at the problem at hand, “ He seemed to be, fascinated by you. Interesting. Whenever I come near it, it would always act aggressively. It ate my car once and threw a tree at me when I tried to get near it. I’ve been hunting this thing for days now, actually years, but now it sits in front of me like I don’t even exist. All because of you, tell me, what makes you special ?”

She looked at him incredulously, flinching when the creature brought its hand closer to its eye, jolting her forward. When the creature noticed Ford standing underneath its palm, it let out what could only be interpreted as a hiss, pulling her further away from him. She yelped, clutching at the bark of its palm.

“ That’s it !” Ford exclaimed, “ He responded positively towards XY chromosomes and female hormones, he must take our male DNA as a threat! But for what purpose, what could cause this aggressive and protective behavior? Is it even a male, or does it even have any form of specific sex? Ma’am, I’m going to get you out of this situation but first I need you to cooperate with me.”

She could only nod her head weakly, staring at the creature warily.

“ My name is Stanford Pines and you have to listen to everything I say and do everything I ask you to,” Ford climbed up a taller rock, trying to catch her gaze. When she peered down at him he cracked her a reassuring smile.

“ Are you ready ms ?”

She told him her name, the syllables echoing down from above.

He tried out her name in his tongue, smiling lopsidedly.

“ Excellent, now let’s get started.”


	5. Chapter 5

Ford wasn’t the least bit interested in a summer romance.

Sitting across his niece crossed leg in the living room, Ford listened intently at her rambling about her failed summer romances. She told him specific detail of how she has no interest in the boys in her school, saying that she had flirted with every single one of them ( and unabashedly failed.)

It was true, that his niece was charming and charismatic, filled to the brim with life and laughter, yet her optimistic nature was still a mystery he still couldn’t crack. After so many failed attempts at romance, Ford would have decided to stay single forever (in shame). Yet, Mabel was still young and had nothing to lose, if anything Ford was delighted at her confidence.

She was on her third failed summer romance, ranting about the puppeteer who turned out to be a no-good bully when her eyes lit up the way Christmas lights do in December. She exclaimed his name and he jolted when she pressed her palms firmly against both sides of his cheeks.

“ Grunkle Ford! I just realized something,” She gasped in realization, the same way Socrates would after discovering the secrete of the universe, “ The only person here who hasn’t had anything to do with romance is you !”

“ Thank you for reminding me, Mabel,” He replied gruffly.

“ We tried to set up Grunkle Stan with Lazy Susan last year. Soos is now engaged to Melanie and Dipper is most likely going to end up with Pacifica after I’ve read their texts over the school year.”

Ford tried to ignore the last part, not wanting to even know what Dipper is doing with a Northwest. He tried his best to keep his voice steady as he explained to Mabel on how he’s not interested. He told her that he’s too busy, with his research and making sure that the universe is safe. He is still trying to document the ever-appearing anomalies in Gravity Falls. Not only in the city, but around the globe with his brother. With him constantly aboard the Stan’O War II, he can’t risk having any other attachments here.

“ Leaving Dipper and you was hard enough, what about a partner ?” Ford reasoned.

“ Well,” His niece struggled with an argument, “ Well true love always finds a way! Don’t think so much of the future, Grunkle Ford! Live the moment and get some ladies. Don’t you ever feel lonely ?”

The last phrase of her question echoed throughout his mind and even after their conversation has long ended. He was still mulling over it at night, a cup of coffee in his hand as the digital clock blinked three forty-two, Stanley dozing off on the couch like he was dead to the world.

_Don’t you ever feel lonely?_

It would be reasonable to say yes thirty years ago, dimension-hopping can get a bit lonely, with no one to trust, Ford was all alone. He spent years trying to find his way back home and now that he’s found it, it would be selfish to say that he does feel lonely. Yet, he knows he can’t lie to himself.

There are times when he thought about it, about romantic love.

But in terms of romance, Ford has always been alone. It’s nothing to be surprised about, to hear that Stanford Pines is middle-aged and still single. Twenty years ago and it still wouldn’t be a shock to hear that the relationships he had never lasted ( or if he was ever in a relationship at all.) The last relationship he had was with a siren and it didn’t end so well ( she tried to drown him at the end, which he wasn't completely surprised with.)

Ford cringed under the yellow lights of the kitchen as he thought back to his failed attempt at romance. Countless of women have either grimaced, winced or glared at him. Perhaps it was partially his fault, it was true that he could sometimes get too carried away with his interests and end up talking about aliens within the American Government in the middle of a candlelit dinner ( his date had spilled her plate of spaghetti on his head before storming out.)

If it wasn’t for his strange interests, it was because of his six fingers, that itself was self-explanatory. He was always teased, mocked and bullied for them – he can’t imagine any girl who’d like to suffer the same fate.

Sighing, Ford watched as his coffee cup turned cold under the night chill, his appetite for research evaporated like mist under the summer sun. He collected the scattered papers on the tabletop and placed them back inside his file, folding his arms.

_Don’t you ever feel lonely?_

He stared at the full moon, a beacon for werewolves and contemplative minds. He gazed at the only companion awake at this late hour and whispered a tired and defeated answer.

_Yes._


	6. Chapter 6

You’ve heard about Stanford Pines.

It’s only normal for dinners to go hand in hand with conversations, yet you were sure everything that came out of Preston’s mouth was far from the truth. He didn’t hesitate to belittle everyone in town based on his own twisted opinions, referring to them as commoners as if he was a king. He was not even the true founder of this city, you had known from the very start that their self-proclaimed title was a lie.

There was an incident they called ‘never mind all that’ over a year ago that took place in Gravity Falls and it was decreed by law that if anyone were to question it, they’ll be tasered (although after meeting the two policemen downtown, you doubt that they’d have the heart to do so.) Pricilla and Preston refused to talk about it in detail, even if it was the root of their bankruptcy. After all, you needed the information to work out their issue.

Thankfully, Pacifica had been nice enough to indulge you on the story. If it wasn’t for the journal, you would’ve found it very hard to believe. Yet the bizarre tale wasn’t far fetched when you’re in Gravity Falls and after knowing that Preston had offered to serve as a horseman of the apocalypse, you began to question if the deal was even worth it.

That was when she mentioned about the Pines family.

When she spoke of them, she sounded almost guilty, as if they were a secret she wasn’t supposed to mention under the roof of the estate. Yet you urged the girl to continue, curious of the family who had made her summer worthwhile. That’s when she slipped up and told her about a boy named Dipper ( and judging from the way her cheeks go slightly red, you can tell that there’s more to him beneath the surface.)

You thought of the doodles in the journal, the stark contrast of the blue gel pen against the faded ink writings. He must’ve been the previous owner before you. Pretending to be interested in her story rather than the crucial information of where he lived, you jot down the vague address of the Mystery Shack on the back of your mind.

It was unfortunate timing, that they were talking in the living room and Preston had decided to enter the moment she mentioned about Stanford Pines. Pacifica called him a town hero, claiming that he had saved everyone. Her father had immediately scoffed at the notion, launching into a heated argument of how he was the one that started all of this mess. How he was just ‘ some old lunatic who lives in a basement doing weird experiments.’

Ignoring this, you thanked Pacifica and managed to curve around the conversation, making your way towards the exit with your coat and bag in hand. Coincidentally, to reach the Mystery Shack, you’d have to go to the place where you’d first found the book. What you didn’t take into consideration was coming in contact with a tree monster.

Luckily, he was there to save you.

The monster had retreated into the forest once you pretended to start crying, as Ford believed that this would give the impression that it was harming you. From below Ford had shouted for you to weep more hysterically. Irritated yet desperate, you decided to let out some real tears and a few wails. Distressed, the poor creature dropped you immediately, before retreating into the shadows.

Ford was quick enough to jump into action, holding his hand out below you and breaking your fall. You bounced in his arms, hands clutching instinctively around his neck as he cradled you to his chest, both your eyes focused on the spot where the massive beast once stood. Your ragged breathing began to settle down and you finally turn to face him, watching the way his glasses stood on the very edge of his nose.

That went well, he chuckled, breaking the heavy silence and proceeding to put you down. You dusted the leaves off your clothes, pulling one out of your hair before thanking him.

None of you said a word.

The atmosphere was almost as awkward as a high school dance’s, brimming with unspoken words and series of questions. He asked if you were possibly suffering from traumatic stress. You told him no. He asked you why you’re not surprised by the existence of the supernatural. You answered that you’ve suspected it the moment you came.

You’re a tourist then? He asked.

You shook your head and told him you were here for work. With a curt nod, he picked up your bag from the ground, eying the brand curiously before handing it back to you. Just before you were to ask about his nephew and his potential affiliation with a certain journal, you notice Ford staring at you. He eyed you for a moment, your clothes, your shoes, and your purse before his eyes widened.

You’re working for the Northwests aren’t you, he asked, yet if anything it sounded like an accusation. You had no reason to lie so you told him that he was right and just like that whatever friendly conversation you were having, vanished into thin air.

He grimaced before sighing, saying a few words that you founded insulting.

I’m not another rich snob, you countered, pursing your lips. He quickly apologized for the slip-up, raising both his hands in defense. Even if he sounded guilty, you weren’t in the mood to forgive him. You bid him a quick goodbye before walking back to the clearing, deciding that seeing Dipper could wait.

You can tell from behind that he’s itching to call out to you, yet you only quickened your pace, impatient to escape the bizarre and awkward situation.

It was only when you slammed the door of your car shut did you realize that Stanford Pines have six fingers.


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is awfully short but I don't want to merge the different POV together like a disaster cake waiting to happen, so have this short part first before I post the second one soon enough !

Ford felt guilty.

The tree giant wasn’t as interesting as it had been an hour ago, where Ford had been thrilled about his discovery. But he also discovered that he was an idiot, who owns twelve PhDs.

He shouldn’t have mentioned about disliking the Northwests and immediately calling her ‘one of them.’ It was uncharacteristically rude of him to say that, much more to a terrified stranger who was nearly trampled by a woodland creature. In a mix of shock and insult, she had stormed off and left him in turmoil. Ford was truly ready to apologize but he had the feeling that it would only lead to a bigger argument, he decided that he’s done enough salt to the wound for today.

Yet, it has been two days ever since the exchange and he still hasn’t decided to reach out to apologize to her. He knew her name and he could have asked around and found her in no time, considering how small this town is, not to mention that he could have walked up to the Northwest Manor to talk to her personally.

But he hasn’t and the guilt is slowly corroding him.

If he didn’t know she was working for the snobbiest man in Gravity Falls, she wouldn’t have been a problem, so what’s the difference? Other than she’s working for a man who won’t hesitate to pay his way through life. She had been friendly, friendly enough not to question him when he asked her to imitate a crying damsel to escape Steve’s clutches.

Sighing, he got up to grab his coat, deciding enough was enough. He started this problem and he was going to end it, even if it would cost him his pride. The weather was horrible, sickly enough to drive both the children upstairs and Stan into his couch by the television. It rendered the shop closed, as no one would walk out in such a storm.

Yet, Ford wanted to get this over with as quickly as possible, slipping into his boots as he told Stan that he’d miss dinner.

That was why when he opened the door to find Pacifica Northwest huddled under the roof of his porch to avoid the violent onslaught, he was turned speechless by the sudden turn of events. It gave the young girl time to push a few syllables out of her chattering teeth, her body shivering as mascara stained her cheeks.

“ Big fat ugly troll, caught her, help.”

After ushering her inside, she’s now settled into a blanket fort on Stan’s couch with Mabel by her side. Dipper stirring her hot cup of tea worriedly in his hands. Stan crossed his arm before him, looking at the girl sadly. Once she was able to form a coherent sentence, Ford discovered that the problem in front of him was much bigger than he had anticipated.


	8. Chapter 8

You were surprised at how your days in Gravity Falls were never mildly normal.

You uncover more about the series of awful things the Northwests had been doing, which includes contacting your corporate to steal your money under your name, claiming that you had consented to the transaction from all the signatures you gave under the documents you had sorted out for them. They were leaching off you, using you instead of hiring you.

At the pathetic notion, you broke off the deal immediately. Preston had threatened to take away your apartment building as compensation for your family’s debt, but you told him to take it since he was so desperate, after all, you have five more. The millions of dollars he offered to give was just another long-running scam and you knew what you had to do next.

Pacifica, red-faced and ashamed at her family, decided that her parents had done nothing more but embarrass their family name, she had hopped inside your car, slamming the door shut with more force than necessary. Perhaps it was an act of teen rebellion or the realization that she could be better, she had joined you to flee the manor in disgust.

You knew it wouldn’t be long until her parents would send butlers to reach out to their only daughter, but you knew Pacifica would love to spend her summer away from her unhealthy family. That’s when you invited her to come with you back to your city, to which she didn’t seem so excited about. She talked about how she could stay somewhere else, anywhere as long as she was still in Gravity Falls ( anywhere as in anything but dingy motels, which you were doubting doesn’t exist around here.)

As the two of you discuss your current dilemmas, you almost didn’t notice the pair of glowing red eyes by the woods. You noticed that this road would eventually lead to the abundance of signs that would lead you to the Mystery Shack and that reminded you of the journal. Asking Pacifica if she was alright if they dropped by the Pines to confront them about a certain book, the young girl shrugged and seemed a bit happy to drop by.

You nearly had to stop driving once the rain became too much, gushing over your windshield too fast for your wipers to push away. That was when the ugly monster had appeared out of nowhere, stopping your car with one violent push. You shouted at Pacifica to get out of the car and the girl scrambled out with a high-pitched scream. You stepped out into the rain, taking Pacifica’s hand as you dashed into the trees.

You abandoned your flats to run faster, squirming under the sound of the mud squelching underneath your bare feet. You saw the roof of the Mystery Shack not far from you and you told Pacifica to make a run for it while you go the other way to distract whatever it was chasing them. As much as the girl hesitated, she complied at your push of encouragement and you watch as the head of blonde hair was swallowed by the mist.

And the beast presumed to chase you again.

Your heart was hammering against your chest as you hide behind a boulder, your skirt torn and mud-stained from all the running and sliding. You slipped against a rock earlier, tearing the sleeve of your white button-up against the bark of a tree. You knew you should have ditched the formal attire this morning, opting for something more comfortable, but who knew that you’d be chased by a troll monster this evening?

The rain camouflaged your heavy breathing and you peeked from behind the boulder, looking over your shoulder as you clutched a stick in defense, although you doubt it’ll pierce the monster’s hide. Your whole body was tense and your fight and flight response was starting to kick in.

That’s why when a hand landed on your shoulder your screeched and smacked whoever that was with the stick, thankfully Stanford Pines’ reflexes weren’t so bad and he managed to cover your mouth just in time before you alerted the creature.

Hi there, was the first thing he said and you furrowed your brows wildly at him. Getting the idea that he had to rephrase and explain himself he told you that you were being chased by a Gremoblin.

Do you trust me? He asked.

You glared at him, remembering the conversation you had two days ago.

You don’t have to forgive me, he pleaded, just trust me.

The beast could be heard growling not far away in the distance and your shoulders dropped. You looked at Ford in the eyes, the rain engulfing you two and you realized just how close he was, his hand hovering above your lips, releasing its grip.

I trust you, you answered, and the creature roared.


End file.
